Steve
Forbert spent a long time defining himself as a songwriter
and slipping out from under the shadow of Bob Dylan. On his
most recent release, the Meridian, Miss., native illustrates
just how comfortable he is in his own skin by performing an
album of tribute. Not to Dylan, but to an earlier and more
fitting icon—a fellow Meridian boy. Any Old Time has
Forbert yodeling out—literally—12 of Jimmie Rodgers’ lesser-known
songs. Though the Singing Brakeman was one of the most popular
performers of the ’20s and ’30s—and arguably, the most important
country music artist of all time—there are some tunes that
may be new to you. And Forbert dusts ’em off and enlivens
them with his own hard-won and gritty spirit. So, when Forbert
hits Savannah’s tonight (Thursday), you can expect something
old, something new, and a bit of the country blues. Charlie
Orlando, of Dexter Grove, opens. (May 29, 9 PM, $15, 426-9647)

It’s
a program of pure, unadulterated New York City-style hardcore
toplined by legendary pioneers Agnostic Front. If the Front
didn’t invent NYHC (that’s short for New York Hardcore), they
were first among equals at its violent, cathartic birth. The
key personnel—frontman Roger Miret and guitarist Vinnie Stigma—will
be on hand when the Front unleash their usual punishing dose
of frantic, buzzsaw guitar sonics. They have a new album out,
too (Working Class Heroes), and are still pissed off.
Also on the bill for this, the first date of the East Coast
Assault Tour, are fellow NYHC stalwarts Murphy’s Law, Madball
(featuring Miret’s little brother) and Death Threat. According
to one admiring critic, Death Threat “live, sleep, eat and
shit hardcore.” Amen. (May 29, 8 PM, $15, 783-1010)

John
HiattTroy
Savings Bank Music Hall, Friday

John
Hiatt’s songs, 25 years worth, have been covered by the likes
of Bonnie Raitt and Bob Dylan. Oh, and Iggy Pop, B.B. King,
Paula Abdul, Ronnie Milsap. Ah yes, and his very first solo
release, back in 1974, Hangin’ Around the Observatory,
contained the single “Sure as I’m Sittin’ Here”—a later hit
for Three Dog Night. What makes Hiatt’s songs so desirable?
Well, you can see for yourself when he performs a solo show
tomorrow (Friday) at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. But
we can tell you that Hiatt’s had a lot of practice in the
songwriting field, as he began writing ’em as a 12-year-old
boy growing up in Indianapolis. But Hiatt was seven albums
into his solo career before he ever got on the charts—1987’s
Bring the Family put him there, which included the
future Raitt hit “Thing Called Love.” Though Hiatt’s songs
work so well for others, they do pretty right by him as well.
His 2000 release, Crossing Muddy Waters, earned him
a Grammy nomination, and that same year Hiatt was named artist/songwriter
of the year at the Nashville Music Awards. He’s also got a
new album out with his longtime band the Goners, Beneath
This Gruff Exterior. Also, a 10-song tribute, It’ll
Come to You, the Songs of John Hiatt—with Nick Lowe, Rosanne
Cash, Buddy Guy and other big shots paying respect—was recently
released. (May 30, 8 PM, $27.50-$37.50, 273-0038)

Martin
SextonThe
Egg, Saturday

Martin
Sexton’s stripped-down and passionate approach to folk music
was born as much of necessity as of preference. Busking in
the busy confines of Harvard Square, this Syracuse native
had to sell himself and his music—without backing strings,
a choir or ProTools to help out. Soon enough, though, his
intricate fretwork and soulful vocalizing (drawing on influences
from Howlin’ Wolf to Robert Plant to Stevie Wonder) caught
the attention of passersby. And his first few releases caught
the attention of the movers and shakers: The late Timothy
White, of Billboard magazine, called Sexton the “finest
new male singer- songwriter of recent memory.” How ’bout that?
So, on Saturday at the Egg, it’ll be Sexton—and no one else—up
there onstage, presenting it stripped-down and passionate.
And prepare to be impressed, because as the man himself says,
“There’s a surprise element to one guy on stage sounding like
three.” (May 31, 8 PM, $20, 473-1845)

PATTI
SMITH

Patti
SmithBasilica
Industria, Saturday

Social-activist
rock legend Patti Smith will play at a new outdoor performance
space, the Basilica Industria (located on the Hudson waterfront
just south of Hudson’s Amtrak Station), to benefit Friends
of Hudson, a group of about 3,300 citizens who are challenging
the controversial coal-fired St. Lawrence Cement plant. Known
for her hits “Because the Night,” “Ghost Dance” and “Gloria,”
among countless others, Smith has been a constant on the rebel-female-punk-rock
scene for around a quarter-century. And she is no stranger
to playing benefits for the good of the environment and other
important political causes. When she plays the benefit in
Hudson, Smith will be accompanied by her band: Lenny Kaye,
Oliver Ray, Jay Dee Daugherty and Tony Shanahan. (May 31,
8 PM, $30 advance tickets, 828-6656)

also
noted

MICHELLE
BRANCH

Wondering
why you’ve seen neither hide nor hair lately of
area rock-a-metal artistes spineCar? Well
they’ve been huddled away in the studio working
on some new songs, and tonight (Thursday), you can
head to the upstairs stage at Valentine’s to hear
some of the new stuff; Catch Fire, Head Monster
and Madeline Ferguson open (8 PM, $8,
432-6572). . . . 18-year-old Maverick Records recording
artist Michelle Branch will play Northern
Lights tomorrow (Friday). Her 2001 debut, The
Spirit Room—the songs on which Branch either
wrote or co-wrote—spawned the hit “Everywhere,”
and her voice on “The Game of Love” (written by,
and sounding quite a bit like, the songwriters behind
the New Radicals hit “You Get What You Give”), off
of Santana’s recent Shaman, is divine (7:30
doors, $20, 371-0012). . . . Wanna see if Cher’s
been able to turn back time? Then check out her
show at the Pepsi (if you can get tickets—it seems
to be pretty sold out) on Friday, when she performs
her Living Proof—The Farewell Tour (7:30 PM, $49.50-$79.50,
476-1000). . . . Country-rocker Commander Cody will
maneuver his Hot Rod Lincoln to Saratoga’s Club
Caroline for a show on Saturday (10 PM, $10, 580-0155).
. . . Paul Kantner brings Paul Kantner’s Jefferson
Starship to the Van Dyck on Saturday, and we’re
just not sure what to expect. Kantner and a crew
of fellow musicians were at the venue about a year
ago as Jefferson Starship Acoustic Explorer—performing
much of his concept album, Blows Against the
Empire—and he and fellow Airplane founder Marty
Balin were there in January, as Jefferson Starship
with Paul Kantner and Marty Balin. We do know that
former Tubes drummer Prairie Prince (who has been
present at all the aforementioned passes through
Schenectady) will be hitting the skins (7 and 9:30
PM, $25, 381-1111). . . . Artimus Pyle, Lynyrd’s
Skynyrd’s original drummer, will perform at Joe’s
Lounge in Hudson on Sunday; Good Clean Fun will
open (4:30 PM, $20, 828-9028).